Canaans' Fury
by jahobes
Summary: The factions of the Expanse meet the races of the Citadel Council. Expanse faction based on book 7 future history. They are heavily AU. While Citadel Races based on pre-first Contact War. HFY-
1. Prologue

**Prologue:**

 **Citadel Central Calendar. 4th Quarter 2157.**

 **Diplomatic Intelligence Envoy between Salarian Union and Citadel Council.**

 **Document Title:** STG Preliminary Political Report: The Homo-Sapiens

Part 1: The Benefactor Factions

The [Transport Union], is a loose Federation of sovereign [ring nations]. 'Somewhat' analogous to the Citadel Council. During what the humans call the ['Third Age of Exploration'] the Union has become a governmental level forum for the 575 coalitions, societies and System Governments that comprise [The Union body electorate]. It's capital is [Medina Station] in the Slow Zone.

The [Laconian Empire], [United Nations of Earth ＆ Luna], [Mars Congressional Republic] and [Outer Planet Alliance] all hold 'benefactor' membership in the Union Congress. Implying a stature similar to the council races within Citadel space. The remaining 575 members have limited electorate power. Executive power is delegated by a board of directors known as the Union Executive Committee.

Theoretically, the Transport Union has jurisdiction over all 1,373 ring systems in the slow zone. In practice the Transport Union controls' 400 'Directorate' systems and protects 180 semi independent 'Protectorate' ring systems. The Union handles disputes between members and possess a modest navy and marine contingent. This force operates as 'Peacekeepers' in times of war or anti piracy and smuggling force in times of peace.

The Laconian Empire once ruled all humanity under an iron claw. Today, it serves as the hegemon of all mankind. They are the pre-eminent power. The [Laconian Marines] widely respected as the most formidable warriors in human history. Its Capital is Laconia in the Laconian Ring System.

Imperator [Winston Duarte] is the absolute dictator of 500 Laconian ring systems and client systems. Thereby managing more resources than the 3 other benefactor factions combined. Imperator Duarte's open but highly competitive immigration policy is able to pick the most motivated and brightest humanity has to offer. Laconia space is home to 100 billion human beings.

After decades of occupation by the Laconians. Earth and Mars signed [the _Second Earth-Mars Coalition_ treaty] or 2-EMc roughly 150 years ago. Pooling what was left of the two ancient human home worlds capital into one.

Although, each a sovereign planet domestically; they share one military and aligned national interests. While Laconia spreads wide, Earth and Mars spread high. 2EMc 'only' controls 100 systems. But 87 of those ring systems have a population _upwards_ of a _billion._ Although not as centralized as Laconia; 2EMc can call on enormous production capacity given enough time. Today, 2EMc is in a very cold war with Laconia. Realistically, in the event of a hot war, a Laconian victory is a foregone conclusion. However, 2EMC is by no means defenceless.

The [N7 corps] is considered the most versatile special operations group in human space . Called the _Little Army_ the N7 corps is designed to be a battlegroup the 2EMc can send to areas with "increased military activity". The theory is called 'small footprints, big fists'. The N7 Corps fights a majority of the 2EMc's [Diplomatic Wars]. The total population of the Second Earth-Mars Coalition is 174 billion. 2EMc's Capital is Earth's moon [Luna].

The last of the big four. The Outer Planet Alliance or OPA is a countermeasure to Laconia might, and Earth-Mars' weight. Independent solo ring systems preferring to align with the soft power of the OPA compared to the total submission demanded by Laconia or the economic slavery mandated by 2EMc diplomatic policy. The OPA only controls a modest 50 systems. Its capital is a Planetoid named [Ceres] in Sol's Asteroid belt. The total population of OPA controlled worlds is 37 billion.

Part 2: Societies, Coalitions and Solo Ring Systems.

A vast majority of the non benefactors states are called ['Solo systems']. Name deriving from their one ring governments. Sometimes these Solo Systems may be governed by a league of societies. Each society may rule a celestial body or major space station within a solo ring system.

One of the most developed, populated and oldest Solo Ring systems is Ilus. Population 10 billion. Human political literature claims that Ilus indirectly controls 40 other systems in what is known as the Free systems Coalition. A confederation of 40 sovereign solo systems. Although not considered a benefactor "nation" the FSC is in the same league as the big four. A close ally of the OPA, the FSC has defeated both Laconia and 2EMc in limited proxy wars. It has skillfully never engaged any of the benefactors in direct war. Capital in the Ilus system. Population 40 billion.

There are a few dozen other less significant coalitions. Ranging from trade partnerships to multisystem federations like the OPA and FSC.

Part 3: The Ring Network, Slow Zone and Shanxi System.

So far, no known citizen of council space has ever gone into the slow zone and returned. All knowledge is therefore obtained through second hand accounts secured from the human collaborators. The slow zone appears to be a trans-dimensional 'terminus station'. Within this terminus station are 1373 rings, several thousand kilometers in diameter. Each is a bridge to a new solar system, seemingly engineered for human life. The humans have been spreading into these solar systems for 250 years. How the slow zone came to be or who created it is unknown. The humans coyly claim they "found it".

[Shanxi] or system 314 appears to be the only known Ring system that also has a Mass Relay. Before the First Contact War it was a Transport Union Protectorate. In practice, Shanxi citizens formerly paid a small tax in return for Union anti-piracy and smuggling naval patrols. Domestically, the Shanxi parliament once had full autonomy and jurisdiction over the system.

Today, Shanxi is a Transport Union Directorate. Controlled by the [Union Executive Committee] or EUC on Medina Station. Shanxi's parliament is now an advisory body and advocate for the ethnic Shanxites but has been stripped of its political power.

The Shanxi system according to Human intel assets, is rapidly becoming the most fortified system in human space. All of the benefactor members and a few of the more influential Coalitions each have a military installation in the system.

Laconia alone seems to have commandeered the largest gas giant and its entire moon system as a naval base of operations into Council space. Half of all vessels currently in Shanxi, military or otherwise, are Laconian warships.

2EMc has annexed Shanxi's sister planet Bingzhou and appears to be rapidly turning the planet into a cultural/market exchange. On Bingzhous largest moon, Qin. Several underground installations are being constructed. The purpose or nature of these structures remains unknown.

The OPA have fashioned a novel yet formidable asteroid citadel. As diagram 3 illustrates several planetoids a beaded web structure 100,000km in diameter. As diagram 4 illustrates, the OPA has turned a quarter of Shanxi's outer belt into a celestial fortificiation. Planetoids and Large asteroids as metaphorical palisades. Several space stations orbit in its center. This will certainly become the OPA and FSC port into Council space.

Part 4: Conclusions.

The humans pose a significant existential threat to the galactic order. A vast majority of their power base is outside of any possible Citadel control, influence or surveillance. As recently stated, the humans have rushed thousands of warships and colony/construction infrastructure into Shanxi and now Mass Relay Space. The type of naval power needed to dislodge or stop such a force is rapidly becoming 'impossible' to match by our standards.

In exception to the Free Systems Coalition, all non benefactor Ring systems can effectively be ignored. The Transport Union Executive Committee speaks for non benefactor members and as such they are whom the Council should cultivate warm relations.

The benefactor members; OPA, 2EMc and the Laconian Empire must be dealt with as individual states with their own interests. As a summary, Laconia will always take the hardliner approach. Their first and last tool is war. The threat of force is how they conduct diplomacy.

The OPA is willing to seek equal partnerships. It will attempt to negotiate open border policies as well as free access to system asteroid belts. The OPA uses extensive lobbying as a means to secure its interests.

While the 2EMc will uphold the utmost diplomatic civility. It is renown for its espionage as well as quick and decisive "diplomatic wars". An invasion from the 2EMc N7 Corps is not an immediate cause of panic. The 2EMc will fight a limited war just to achieve very specific diplomatic objectives. Such as getting a trade partner to outlaw nationalized industry or forcing open trade.

Of the big four; the writer believes the OPA is by far most likely to submit to authority of the Citadel Council. They can also serve as a conduit into the human dominated Slow Zone. The writer also believes attempting to alienate or antagonize humanity as a whole is a recipe for disaster. **Humanity is not a monolith.**

The Homo Sapiens may be visibly divided, but will unite if the species feels under siege. Recommendation is to tolerate the larger factions, 2EMc and Laconia. The Batarians can be used as a bulwark against 2EMc. While the lawlessness of the terminus system will drain Laconian resources and man power.

During this time the council should foster beneficial relationships with the OPA and Transport Union Executive Committee. Having them aligned with us may assist in the eventual clash between the council and the more powerful benefactors.

May the several agents who lost their lives compiling this brief never be forgotten.

End of Report.

Major Kirahee.


	2. Ashley Williams

Ashley Williams:

Somehow, the Hegemony had never had the pleasure of a 'official' visit from the upstanding members of Earth & Mars Coalition's, Little Army. Thirty years since first contact, and Hegemony and EMC had been performing a deadly intergalactic dance in the Skyllian Verge. Both believed the Verge only belonged to one of them. But neither had been willing to be direct about it.

"If it wasn't for the Council, we would have been here years ago. That smug trifecta uses these multi eyed face fucks as a buffer to humanity".

Major Kaidan Alenko and his friend and CO Major Ashley Williams were on their way to the first wave staging area of their aeronautic Forward Operating Base.

"10 credits says the blue-monkeys threatened to pull their dicks out.. Citadel panicked and dropped the freaks." Remarked Major Williams as she playfully punched her friends armor pauldron.

"Yup, you know damn well it was the blue monkeys. But hot damn you seen the specs for their soon to be revealed Kamikaze Class Dreadnaught Ash. I bet they declared war just to give them a proper shake down.."

"The Kamikaze's are not ships. They are a space fort with a FTL drive" Sarcastically replied Williams.

* * *

Truth be told the Batarians had been wise to leave the 'blue humans' alone. A substantial minority of upper class Laconians had undergone proto-molecule gene therapy. This charichateristcally led to blue shimmer under the skin and a unnaturally blue discoloration of the iris. This only made Laconians nobles look even more like Asari's.

Proto-therapy also lead to super intelligence, strength and durability. Some of the first Laconians to modify themselves, including Imperator Duarte, were still alive after 250 years.

A Batarian slaver abducting regular Laconian peasant citizens was a bad idea. In the past the Laconian Imperial Navy would send one, just one, of its Magnetor Class battlecruisers to the closest Batarian system. Uninvited. These 'cruisers' were considered super-dreadnaughts by Turian pre-first contact standards. At almost 1.5km they held within them 10 scimitar assault Destroyers as a start.

Laconian Cruiser Captains, who hold substantial respect and authority in imperial society, would give the warlord/president/CEO what or who ever was considered the 'political leader' an arbitrary amount of time to find the enslaved Laconians. Considerable reparations to the Imperator were also accepted. As such their were only 4 known instances of a Laconian peasant citizen being abducted by slavers.

As a point of conversation a Hegemonic Ambassador to the council had posited a hypothetical situation to his Asari handler.

"What would happen if a 'rogue slaver' somehow enslaved a proto-augmented human of Laconian citizenship?"

The Asari Ambassador without missing a beat looked him in the as many eyes as she could focus on and said

"The Matriarchs have shelved such an event as a Goddess damned galactic catastrophe."

She had made it clear. Keep Batarian slavers out of Laconian Imperial jurisdiction; or the Laconian Navy will be forced to "maintain order" within Hegemonic jurisdiction.

* * *

Perhaps, a major reason a proto-augmented human had never been abducted by slavers was because of the practical policies of the Laconian Imperial court. Imperator Duarte considered the protection of his fellow augmented class a matter of national security. As such, each proto-augmented family was guarded by a fireteam of Laconian Autonomous Military Androids; AMA's. Part machine, part proto-engineered organism, these deceptively elegant androids also serve as the basic infantry unit of the Laconian and EMC armies.

Unfortunately for the Batarians, no system is perfect. The catalyst to the conflict Kaiden and Ashley found themselves in was the enslavement of a Laconian noblewomen and her family while they were in Hegemony space.

Although the operation had been otherwise flawless. Each AMA guarding the family had been able to record and transmit their violent abduction on encrypted Laconian frequencies until their destruction.

This immediately sparked a diplomatic incident between the Laconian Empire and Batarian Hegemony. Which then by necessity drew in the interest of the Council and the EMC.

The Laconians wasted no time taking the initiative. After taking a two year public hiatus. Imperator Duarte delivered battle speech aimed at rallying the Laconian people behind their Navy. His speech ended in the traditional Laconian declaration of war. "Les Bleus has been mobilized. May fate have mercy on our enemies. For Laconia will not."

In literal minutes the protection the Citadel Council extended to the Batarians evaporated. The council faced the real possibility of Luna and Laconia uniting, the two capitals of humanities mightiest nations. With no choice the Asari pushed for policy initiative number ONE: Never take a position that will unite all or most of humanity.

Following the Laconian declaration of War. The Citadel council suspended the Batarian ambassador.

* * *

Williams and Alenko were eagerly marching towards the AMA mass staging hangar. They, like the roughly 1 thousand other humans and 10's of thousands of androids were inside of a Zion Aeronautic FOB. The massive pre-made fortifications were part refueling and resupply base part fortification. Giant quadcopters while airborne; most of the dozens of FOB's involved in the invasion of Bataak were still hovering over their Area of Operations. Safe zones had not yet been established planetside.

As N7 Army 'Operators' Ashley and Kaiden commanded 10 human 'Specialists'. Each of these specialists then controlled 10 AMAs. Major Williams could also call on several walker tanks, a couple close air support drones and a robotic mortar team; Ashley commanded a modest force capable of taking and securing a small town.

Human N7 Operators and Specialists donned self regenerative Goliath heavy combat skins, while armed with Avenger chem-rail assault cannons and Predator hand cannons. The Goliath skin also had automatic retracting shoulder mounted gatling guns. Primarily used as a point defence cannon for anything the Goliath skin couldn't nullify on its own.

Although sleek, the Goliath combat skins were by no means 'thin'.

The two operators had arrived at the final exit door. Before entering Major Williams looked over at her friend and sarcastically giggled to herself.

"A damn treaty between the EMC and Laconia is the only thing keepin the Laconians from genociding these face-fuckers. The galaxy is inside out right now Kad..."

After decades of un-answered slave raids on EMC colonies by the Batarians. The most the EMC had been able to do was stern economic finger wagging. Council protection kept the Batarians outside of direct EMC military intervention.

As a result of this perceived submission to aliens from the Citadel by EMC policy makers. Years of resentment and speciesism had birthed The Political movement Terra Firma on Earth and Mars. Heavily funded by wealthy Laconian species nationalists the political movement called for the 'eradication' of all 'threats' to humanity within the Skyllian Verge. Some pushing for what was called the "Final Solution" to ensure humanity would become and remain the demographic majority in the Verge.

Ironically, it was the Earth & Mars Coalition itself that had come to the Batarians semi rescue from complete annihilation. Thanks to treaties on 'spheres of influence' that had been signed; on the urging of the Laconians 30 years prior. These treaties carved out future territory claims of each benefactor member. As well as which benefactor faction was allowed to send her warships where. The Laconians of course claimed the entirety of the Terminus systems, while the EMC claimed the Skyllian Verge. The Empire had been loose in its interpretations of the treaty; but had never sent anything more than a pair of Cruisers into the Verge.

In backroom deals, hours after the Laconian declaration of war; the EMC delegation promised the Laconian privy council that the 'Batarians would pay' in exchange for the Laconian navy mostly staying out of the conflict.

Of course as a matter of optics it would be Laconian special forces that would perform the very public rescue of the enslaved noble family. As well as a Laconian battle group that would annex the Batarian system harboring the offending slavers. Nevertheless, as quietly agreed, the rest of the conflict would mostly be fought between the EMC and Hegemony. Laconia would keep its fleets at bay.

"Yuup. Earth and Mars effectively used the Laconians as a guard dog against the Council, so that we could devour the Batarians without having to look over our backs. Brilliant state and trade craft if you ask me Ash.." Approvingly responded Alenko.

Rolling her eyes Ashley started teasing her long time friend. "If i put on a tin foil hat i might actually believe the Laconian conspiracies…"

"What about?" Interrupted Kaiden.

"You know. That the slavers who kidnapped the blue freaks were financed by the Earth & Mars intelligence bureau..."

* * *

The staging area was filled with 5,000 androids and roughly 700 humans. Ashley had used the large hanger as her athletics track in the weeks leading up to the invasion. She had once been able to play a full six on six handball games without interrupting daily operations. Now, packed with man, synthetic men and plenty of machines, the staging hangar seemed much smaller.

Alighting in front of her mixed company of man and android Major WIlliams called them to attention

"Specialists, be briefed or be dead. XO the show is yours".

"All Raiders listen up, in less than 30 we will be landing in the slave district of Zomrat. In the southern coast of Bataaks big continent. Command has designated it Gamma sector."

Just then, all 110 or so soldiers and androids under the command of Raider 1-1 began seeing a visual representation of the brief over their HUDs.

A large topographical map of the southern region of Bataak's largest continent was littered with dozens of blue rectangles on mostly one side. While red rectangles mostly littered a small corner of the opposite side. Some of the rectangles were over seemingly random patches of dirt. While several tended to be concentrated over cities.

The presentation zoomed to focus on just one of the blue rectangles in one of Bataak's coastal cities. White letters suddenly became visible. They clearly spelled GAMMA over the blue rectangle.

"GAMMA will be our area of operations until the Zion FOB can land in BILBAO sector. Our primary objective is to destroy what's left of Hegemony military capabilities in this district. Secondary to capture all high ranking slavers. Tertiary objective is to neutralize as many potential 'resistors' as possible. We are cancelling any insurgency before it happens Specialists."

As Major Alenko spoke the image flashed from Batarian anti-air installations still believed to be hidden in the district, as well as what appeared to be Batarian biotics teams on street patrols. The image then flashed to portrait pictures of some of the wealthier Batarians. Each was given a corresponding card in a poker deck for easy identification. To humans, Batarians are almost indistinguishable from one another. Therefore VIT Batarians had to be identified using computer assisted facial recognition and an easy to remember deck of cards for quick ID.

"Any Batarian that was not a slave is to be treated as hostile. Any Batarian slave that doesn't look broken, is to be treated as hostile. All other slaves are to be treated with extreme caution. Remember folks you are not Human Engagement Teams… you are mother fuckin N7 shock troops. You are here to kick ass and kick more ass."

The brief then shifted to a light hearted popular N7 satirical meme. It showed two EMC 'soldiers' one man one women in colorful non standard EMC dress uniform. They were hugging children and giving out free things to helpless looking Batarians.

"Enough of that all-beings matter shit." Shouted a random N7 Shock trooper.

Without dropping a beat Alenko finished the briefing

"Raiders, let the H.E.S come in and do the "liberatin'. That's not your job. Your job is to secure that shit out of GAMMA. Do not interact with the slaves; leave that to the care-bears.. You have all been assigned your sub-sectors. Have your AMA's do the heavy lifting… watch your backs. End of brief." Alenko took a step back and nodded at Williams.

Ashley nodded back and addressed the troops. "All right Raiders you have your assignments. Load up into your drop pods! See you in hell!"

All 100 or so men and machine under Major Ashley Williams command snapped to one direction and began loading onto Heavy drop ships.

Ashley smiled to herself. That meant she was nervous. Although She had been in combat situations, those had been small isolated 'diplomatic' conflicts. No operation outside of training had prepared her for something as large scale as a planetary invasion.

As soon as Major Williams and her company were airborne, her G-Force tracker lit up her HUD. She now had operational permission to see objectives and threats in or close to her AO. All of this information was overlaid in her vision. She was looking at the symbols through the floor of her drop ship.

"Major, I guess this is how it begins?" Kaiden said on his private channel to Ashley.

"I guess so Kad, never really done a planetary invasion before… Buckle up. I'll see you on the other side."


End file.
